& Pompton Plains
MANY HANDS, LIGHT WORK AT GRAINS OF HOPE ANGELS AT WORK
TOMMY SAVINO MEMORIAL PLAYGROUND
20 YEARS OF LOCAL LACROSSE
A Survivor’s Ride
Athlete Glenn Vivolo
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Athlete
Welcome, July!
Ahhh, sweet summertime!
I love this time of year and being outside. I hope you do, too, with our Pompton Valley Rail Trail, PV Park, Community Garden and other opportunities to enjoy the warmer weather around town. We begin this month’s edition with some all-important bicycling safety tips. Whether you drive locally or ride a bike on the road or on the rail trail, be sure to take a moment to review these for the busy cycling season.
Love to garden as much as I do?
I hope you enjoy some amazing gardening tips from Leni Bednarski of R&L Greenhouses, located right
here in town. Her pointers are sure to help your garden bloom this summer.
Pequannock Township recently hosted its 13th annual Grains of Hope packing event. The organization celebrated serving up its 2 millionth meal with Kasey Leck and her dad, Jordan, sealing the box! What an amazing honor to serve others and be a part of this organization. Read on to learn more and learn how you can be a part of it all, too.
If you haven’t yet encountered him riding around town, read our cover story to meet unicyclist Glenn Vivolo and his beautiful family—such an amazing, inspiring story about his setbacks and comebacks in life. He is a true champion worth celebrating. Next, remember the life of Tommy Savino with a new playground in his memory located at Greenview Park, “where angels play.” The outpouring of love and support for this project is heartfelt—a true testament to the community and a way to honor his life. Lastly, lacrosse is huge here in town. Learn more about the sport and how Mike Cherenson has developed the club, which is about so much more than the game, offering a sense of community and belonging for members. Have a wonderful, safe and sunny summer. Be sure to share your stories, pics and feedback about our community magazine @pequannockmagazine.com. We love publishing this magazine for and about you!
Donna Fillweber Publisher
Pequannock & Pompton Plains MAGAZINE
Editor & Publisher
Donna Fillweber
Art Director
Sue Park
Copy Editor
Nancy Fass
Writers
Greg Dabice
Donna Del Moro
Angela Teta Kohle
Mary Shumeyko
Megan Van Peenen
Photographers
Antonietta Henry
Ed Leonard
Dan Piccoli
WAINSCOT MEDIA
Chairman
Carroll V. Dowden
President and CEO
Mark Dowden
VP, Group Publisher, Regional
Thomas Flannery
VP, Content Strategy
Maria Regan
Creative Director
Kijoo Kim
Advertising Services Director
Jacquelynn Fischer
Operations Director
Catherine Rosario
Production Designer
Chris Ferrante
Print Production Manager
Fern Meshulam
Advertising Production Associate
Griff Dowden
Pequannock & Pompton Plains Magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Pequannock Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2024 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN PICCOLI
HELMET
New Jersey law requires anyone under 17 to wear a properly fitting helmet. Helmets are important because they can protect against serious head injuries in the event of an accident.
LIGHTS
When riding at night, New Jersey requires a white light on the front and a red light on the back of your bike.
CLOTHING
Wear bright, comfortable clothing that’s conducive to weather conditions. Layers ensure you will always be dressed right. Avoid loose clothing to keep pants from getting caught in the chain.
Around Town
Bike Trails Beckon!
HOW TO CYCLE SAFELY THIS SUMMER
Warm weather is welcoming bicyclists to hit the Pompton Valley Rail Trail along with local roads, parks and other places conducive to two wheels.
Here are some key considerations for riding safely.
BIKE
Before each ride, inspect your bike to make sure it’s in good working order, including tires, wheels, brakes, chain, lights, reflectors, bell and seat height. Make sure your bike fits you properly.
TRAFFIC
Ride with traffic on the right side of the road, and obey all traffic laws and signs. Stop at red lights and stop signs, and yield to pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks. Look for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users before turning right on red, and don’t pass vehicles or bicycles that have stopped to yield.
HAZARDS
Piles of leaves, puddles, gravel and other dangers could make you lose control of your bike. In the city, watch for manhole covers, sewer grates and other surfaces that can become slick.
OTHERS ON THE ROAD
Make eye contact with drivers and other riders to ensure that they see you.
POMPTON VALLEY RAIL TRAIL
When cycling the new rail trail and overtaking pedestrians and runners, be sure to ring your bell or call out “bicycle on the left” to make them aware you are coming. Be mindful as you cross roadways where the rail trail intersects at Jackson, Alexander and NewarkPompton Turnpike: It’s the law to stop and allow pedestrians to cross. As a rule, look both ways before crossing to ensure all parties are aware of you.
Get a Greener Thumb
A founder of R&L Greenhouses offers summer tips on keeping your garden healthy and beautiful.
BY MEGAN VAN PEENEN
INTERVIEW
WITH LENI BEDNARSKI
With the arrival of warmer weather comes the anticipation of planting. Luckily for Pequannock and Pompton Plains residents, our community has an abundance of beautiful greenhouses stretching along Jacksonville Road and beyond. One particular grower, R&L Greenhouses, has been a mainstay in our community since 1985.
Founded by Leni and Ray Bednarski, R&L is a wholesale grower, with a roadside stand for retail customers. We visited with Leni Bednarski for some planting tips and pointers on how to make your garden thrive this summer and beyond.
What prep work is involved with starting a garden?
Do a thorough clean-up of the area you are choosing. Clean out any old plant debris such as leaves and old plantings.
When is the best time to start planting?
Certain flowers and vegetables grow best at certain times of year. With the summer months upon us, now is a good time to start vegetables and annuals such as impatiens and lantana.
The summer is a great time of year to start a garden because there are so many plants to choose from that enjoy the summer heat and will last into the fall. Believe it or not, in June we start planting mums at the greenhouse in preparation for the fall.
WHERE TO GO
Can you recommend a flower that’s easy to grow?
SunPatiens are hardy and colorful, plus they love the sun, so they are great at this time of year. Vinca are also great because they are drought-resistant, so if you forget a watering or two in the hotter months, they still look good.
How many times a day should you water plants?
Since hotter and drier months are here, sometimes a morning and evening watering is necessary. Just don’t over-water—balance is key.
What kind of soil do you recommend?
For novice and seasoned gardeners alike, we recommend a potting mix. Any local store carries it. Miracle-Gro brand is always a great pick.
Do you have to fertilize?
Fertilizing is a great way to make flowers and veggies grow bigger and brighter. But don’t overfertilize— you can burn your plants. Make sure to follow the directions.
R&L Greenhouses is located at 220 Jacksonville Road, Pompton Plains. The roadside stand is open Mondays to Saturdays and closed Sundays.
Should you replace your flowers if they start to wilt or dry out?
Just pinch off the dead or dying flowers; this will actually help the plant grow. Also check your soil. If it is too dry because of hot weather, a good watering will perk up your plants.
How much sunlight should a garden get?
A great rule of thumb is a half a day of sunlight. Always check to make sure that what you are planting receives the right amount of light where you are planting it.
Any other tips you think are important?
Be patient. Trial-anderror is sometimes necessary to establish a perfect garden.
Megan Van Peenen is a graduate of Montclair State University who lives in Pequannock with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading, writing and traveling with her family.
R&L Greenhouses nurtures a wide variety of flowering and food-producing plants, including varieties such as SunPatiens and Vinca that thrive in the heat and bright sunlight of summer.
Gelato 23 GRAND OPENING
Our Artisan Italian gelato is made fresh from scratch in house. We invite you to experience the authentic taste of Italy.
Hoping
HANDS
Teams of volunteers help address critical needs locally and internationally at the 15th Grains of Hope food packaging event.
The Grains of Hope food packaging event was successful again this year, as volunteers from 19 different organizations as well as family and friend groups came to help package the program’s 2 millionth meal!
The food packaging event— the 15th hosted by Community Partners for Hope of New Jersey in Pequannock—took place in Pequannock Valley Middle School gymnasium on Sunday, March 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The mood was jubilant, with music booming courtesy
BY ANGELA TETA KOHLE
of DJ Conner Martinez and more than 700 people volunteering throughout the day to package approximately 7.5 tons of food.
Grains of Hope is the flagship program of Community Partners for Hope. Its mission is to educate communities about critical social problems affecting them and others in the world, and to promote volunteerism.
Community Partners for Hope is made up of local houses of worship, service organizations, businesses and many local residents, and the majority
of its fundraising efforts contribute to putting on this amazing event.
“We are frequently asked why we plan and hold these events, and the reasons are simple,” says Doug Cook, President of Community Partners for Hope, who has been instrumental in the Grains of Hope food packaging event’s success. “Food insecurity in New Jersey affects over 800,000 people, and 197,000 of those are children. Each year, grandparents, parents, their children, houses of worship and service organizations come together for a common cause.”
Top right: Kasey Leck and her dad, Jordan Leck, seal the 2 millionth meal box. Top left: Volunteers from the Atlantic Healthcare team at Chilton Hospital. Middle left: Family volunteers Patty Dunn (left) with her son, Jack Dunn. Middle right: Volunteers measure portions. Right: The taping team included (from left) Kevin Gyongyosi, Annie Falzarano, Seth Burgin, Eric Golbek, Pat Falzarona, Jerry Jiosi, Josh Burgin and Pequannock mayor Ryan Herd.
A Daunting Undertaking
The two-day Grains of Hope food packaging event is an extremely daunting but rewarding undertaking.
On Saturday, March 2, many volunteers set up tables and workstations in the middle school gymnasium and prepared, prefilled and labeled almost 17,000 small food bags with cheese packets.
On Sunday, volunteers packaged nutritionally fortified macaroni and cheese meals. The production was dedicated to feeding the hungry in New Jersey through the Bessie Green
Community in Newark and the Father English Food Pantry overseen by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson. The remainder of the meals were sent to feed the hungry in Ukraine.
It is remarkable to see the seamless flow and efficiency of the event as groups of volunteers are ushered in and out to work their shifts.
No special skills are needed. Each job is simple, and the organizers train the groups as they come. Everyone can participate according to their capabilities—even accompanied young
children—and it’s fun!
Employees of Chilton Hospital topped the list of volunteers this year, bringing 101 committed and energetic people. Other volunteer groups included Holy Spirit School and Parish, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, First Reformed Church, Pequannock Valley Rotary, Pequannock Girl Scouts, St. Joseph’s Parish (Lincoln Park), Century 21/ Crest Realty, Lincoln Park Lions Club, the Boys and Girls Club and several groups of families and friends.
More than 700 volunteers took part in the community project at various times during the day, packaging more than 7 tons of food.
Voices of Hope
The Pequannock Valley Rotary was the largest sponsor this year. According to Rotary president Bobby Roberts, Grains of Hope is an extremely worthwhile endeavor.
“One of the missions of Rotary is to eliminate both local and world hunger, and this program aligns very much with that,” he says.
A member of the Pequannock Marching Band Pit Crew that was present at Grains of Hope for the 12:30 shift put it this way: “We aim to express our gratitude and contribute to our community and beyond. It’s crucial to set an example for our kids and demonstrate the significance of volunteering to assist others.”
“It is about embodying love for me,” says pastor Wendy Abrahamson of the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour.
“There are too many people living in food insecurity circumstances.
Volunteering to alleviate hunger and homelessness is a way of living.”
Says Pequannock Township councilman Dave Kohle, a regular volunteer at Grains of Hope: “It is essential that we all do our part and teach our young people about this issue. The best part for me is seeing so many young people with their families volunteering.”
Stacey Duensing Pearce, co-pastor of The First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains, and her husband, Zachary, helped set up for the event on Saturday. “Volunteering at this event is, first, a chance to live out my faith in Jesus’ call to love my neighbor,” she says, “and, second, a great way to connect with others using their time and gifts for service in our community.”
Kathleen Edwards Chase first initiated Grains of Hope as a handson, service-oriented opportunity for
members of First Reformed Church to live their faith in action. “I never imagined that a simple act of service would grow to become what it is today,” she says. “I’m so proud of all the people who show up each year and make a difference at a time when we need to see acts of cooperation on behalf of others.”
To learn more about how to get involved or donate to Grains of Hope, visit https://njcpfh.org. Donations can also be sent to Community Partners for Hope, PO Box 532, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444.
The committee isn’t stopping at 2 million meals; 3 million is its next goal.
Angela Teta Kohle, retired after 35 years of teaching, lives in Pequannock. She enjoys volunteering at her church, traveling, reading, baking, walking and working for the family business.
Grains of Hope event organizers (from left) Frank Unger, Doug Cook and Mike Tizio stand in front of the 2024 volunteer honor roll.
Glenn Vivolo with (from left) his son, Jake; wife, Eileen; and daughter, Sophia, with their pup, Bella, at their home in Pompton Plains.
Champion of CHALLENGES
Athlete Glenn Vivolo has overcome numerous health difficulties— one of which led him back to his unicycle.
Glenn Vivolo, Pequannock’s own Unicycle Man, makes riding on one wheel look easy. With his vibrant colors and infectious smile, he can be seen most mornings on one of his many routes through town. However, getting to this point has not been easy. This is his courageous story of setbacks and comebacks.
Vivolo was practically raised on wheels. The second titular son of Four Sons Cyclery, in Wayne, he grew up among all kinds of Schwinn products. His parents, Henry and Johanna, first rented a shop on Hamburg Turnpike
BY MARY SHUMEYKO
in Wayne, then moved the business to the Berdan Shopping Center, where the family bought, sold and serviced bikes.
As a kid, Vivolo attended Our Lady of the Valley School and then DePaul High School. After classes, he would help in the shop by sweeping floors and cleaning bikes. Gradually he learned the business.
His first riding experience? “For my 13th birthday, I was really expecting a shiny new 10-speed,” he says. “My parents gave me a unicycle instead! I learned to ride it inside the shop
by holding onto the walls. Then I graduated to holding onto the outside walls. It was a slow process.”
By age 14, he was also riding a road bike (naturally a Schwinn) and competing in weekly New Jersey races.
Always athletic, Vivolo pursued running, cycling and multisport events after high school. When the Pequannock Triathlon materialized in the late 1980s, Vivolo jumped in. He became more involved in both the shop and serious running races. He competed in several half-marathons and eight full marathons.
Glenn Vivolo riding his unicycle in Pompton Plains.
A Startling Diagnosis
Sailing along with a great job and known for his athleticism, Vivolo seemed to have it all as he and his fiancée, Eileen, planned their wedding, scheduled for May 2006. However, on March 15, he awoke aware that something was very wrong.
Several tests revealed the frightening news: Vivolo had testicular cancer. Surgical procedures followed, and he worked as hard on recovery as he did on sports training.
Two weeks before the wedding, he suffered another setback: a pulmonary embolism. Again, recovery was tough. The couple delayed their wedding but finally celebrated the big day at the Stoney Hill Inn on July 4, 2006.
Monthly checkups were mandatory, and in September of that year, Vivolo’s doctors discovered that the cancer had spread to both lungs. After four months of chemotherapy, part of one lung had to be removed.
February 22, 2007, is the day that Vivolo says he was finally cleared of cancer. Every year, he celebrates that date in a different way. This year, he rode 20 miles with the number 17 shaved in the back of his hair, indicating 17 years cancer-free.
The same week as the lung cancer surgery, Vivolo and Eileen bought their home in Pompton Plains, and their lives as Pequannock Township residents began.
Five months later, with the support of the Livestrong Foundation, Vivolo, along with his older brother Chris and his nephew Jon, rode in RAGBRAI, a weeklong bicycle trek across Iowa. Again, Vivolo’s strength seemed to overcome his hardships.
Vivolo and his wife had a daughter, Sophia, who was born in 2008, and their son, Jake, came along in 2013. When Sophia was a baby, Vivolo would enter races with a running stroller that held Sophia and displayed a sign with a number proclaiming how many “days cancer-free!”
Doctor’s Orders
Once again believing they had it all, the couple was stunned in 2022 to realize that Vivolo would need laminectomy surgery on his back to relieve disc pressure that was making it difficult for him to walk.
It was yet another time that he had to work hard on recovery. His orthopedists advised him to not run, so Vivolo turned to that 13th birthday present: his unicycle.
With his younger brother Greg’s help, he went out for a mile. Then he rode two miles. Next, he managed four, then five miles—and he hasn’t stopped since.
Today, he rides about 10 to 13 miles each day. He chooses different routes through town and tries to stay away from busy areas and times of day when traffic is heavy.
For safety, he checks his machine thoroughly before mounting. He makes sure his taillight is flashing. He wears bright colors, always dons a helmet and carries his cell phone. He’s careful with the slope of each street, and follows cycling rules.
Comparing unicycle riding to road or mountain biking, Vivolo notes, “Riding a unicycle is more like running because you’re constantly using your arms for balance.”
Vivolo isn’t in this alone. He describes his family with pride: Eileen is an optometrist in Ringwood; Sophia, now 15, is a sophomore at Morris Catholic High School; and Jake attends Holy Spirit School as a fifth grader.
The Vivolos’ newly adopted puppy, Bella, completes the group. At this writing, Vivolo was figuring out how to attach a crate to one of their bikes so Bella could ride along on family outings.
A recent spill has not deterred this champion of challenges. When asked what happens if he falls, Vivolo responds with a characteristic grin: “You get back up, get on and keep going.”
That seems to be the theme of his amazing and inspirational life.
Mary Shumeyko is a retired Pequannock teacher who helps at her church and the Pequannock Library. Traveling, running, reading and spending time with family fill her free time.
Left: Jake and Sophia Vivolo show love to their dog, Bella. Right: Glenn Vivolo sports a tattoo with the words “Live Like You Were Dying,” a song title by Tim McGraw and a tribute to his cancer battle, along with the date of his diagnosis and the names of his children.
Glenn Vivolo rides his unicycle about 10 to 13 miles a day.
Angels at Work
A new playground memorializes the legacy of local resident Tommy Savino.
Neither localized flooding, 40mph winds nor an earthquake could prevent more than 100 volunteers from building a playground in Greenview Park in April to honor the memory of resident Tommy Savino.
In just five short days, the Where Angels Play crew descended upon the park to build the playscape in Savino’s name, battling unfavorable weather conditions. The 27-year-
BY DONNA DEL MORO
old died tragically in 2021 after a five-year fight with a rare form of lymphoma. Savino had volunteered for the Where Angels Play organization, refereeing at tournament fundraisers. The avid ice hockey player and coach held onto a coin that the foundation gave him as a thanks for his volunteerism.
Savino’s mother, Trish Savino, recalls that he carried the coin with
him, setting it down with his keys and wallet in the same spot each day in their Pequannock home, and that he took it with him later when he moved to Boston to assume a new role as account executive for Draft Kings.
One side of the coin read, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.” The other side read, “Brotherhood has no borders.”
Councilmember David Kohle (at microphone) shares remarks about Tommy Savino and the origins of the memorial playground.
Tommy Savino’s father, Tom; sister, Kristi; and mother, Trish, raise flags over the newly constructed playground.
Not Forgotten
Where Angels Play represents a convergence of the messages on the two sides of that coin.
Founded by retired Elizabeth firefighter Bill Lavin in 2012, the foundation’s mission is to honor those who have suffered through natural disasters such as Superstorm Sandy or senseless, tragic events like the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. The foundation also builds upon the strength of the strong brotherhood that firefighters and police share while commemorating lives lost.
“We wanted the playgrounds to be built in honor of the angels who would watch over the children as they played,” Lavin says.
Today, Savino’s sister, Kristi, 26, carries that coin in her purse, and his family takes solace in knowing that he will be remembered through the new playground just two blocks from the home they’ve shared for 27 years.
“My brother and I grew up in Greenview Park,” says Kristi. “We would ride our bikes there regularly, and in the winters, we would sleigh ride and ice skate there.”
“Our biggest fear when Tommy died was that he would be forgotten,” says Trish Savino. “This park will keep his memory alive.”
The Greenview Park play area is just one of 65 others constructed by Where Angels Play. Most are in the United States, but there are also playgrounds in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada and Rwanda.
While Greenview’s play area took just five days to build, the first-ever playground constructed took five weeks, Lavin notes. At its beginning, the foundation functioned primarily through private donations and the goodwill of the strong police and fire community. Today, corporate sponsors, including Jersey Mikes and Home Depot, keep the group’s mission alive.
Top: Peyton Happe (center) is the first child to ride down the slide, flanked by her dad, William Happe (left), and Bobby Happe, a longtime friend of Tommy Savino. Middle: David Kohle cuts a dedication ribbon. Bottom: Friends and family gather around a memorial sign that greets visitors to the playground.
Hockey Connection
The decision to honor Savino was an easy one, Lavin says, as his family and the entire hockey community have given graciously to the organization throughout the years and continue to do so.
Savino’s connection to that hockey community began at age 6, when the family would travel to places as far away as Monsey, New York, for ice time. For them, that meant many early mornings in cold arenas, but it would turn out to be a sport that Savino enjoyed playing right up until the end.
“Our choosing Tommy was kind of a payback to the hockey community and his family for their support,” Lavin says.
Shortly after Savino’s death, friends and families approached the Savinos with the idea for a hockey tournament in the Rutgers University graduate’s honor.
The Savino family has worked tirelessly to raise funds for Where Angels Play through not just hockey tournaments but golf outings as well.
Tom Savino, Tommy’s father, says that a hockey tournament on June 15 at the Montclair State Ice Arena (formerly Floyd Arena) will be followed by a golf outing planned for October 6 at The Meadows in Lincoln Park.
“Both the golf outing and the hockey tournament have been very well attended, and we were able to raise more than $50,000 to donate to Where Angels Play,” Tom Savino says.
Lavin says that raising funds for future projects—there are 12 in the works—has become more of a challenge even with support from corporate sponsors, so he is grateful to the family for their continued efforts.
“This is the most selfish project that
we could do,” Lavin says. “We get far more out of it than we give. To be able to meet the Savino family, to watch their grace and civility and to watch them heal—from the very beginning, it’s been the most rewarding thing.”
Trish Savino says she was overwhelmed by the number of people who showed up at the park’s dedication ceremony—some of them from the hockey community that Savino had so long been a part of.
In describing her son, Trish says, “He was a character, that’s for sure. He had an uncanny ability to surround himself with wonderful people, whether that was in first grade when he first started playing or much later in life.”
Donna Del Moro is a freelance writer and former English teacher who has lived in Pequannock since 1991.
Top left: Bobby Happe (left) and Tommy Savino’s father, Tom, transport a bucket of cement for playground footings. Left: Volunteers weathered torrential rain, heavy winds, and even an earthquake as they built the playground over several days in April. Above: Playground neighbor Will Slootmaker spent an entire day spreading mulch.
20 Years of Local Lacrosse
How a unified Pequannock program made a fast break to become an anchor of community spirit and belonging
The Pequannock Lacrosse Club has become an integral part of the town’s fabric, bringing families together and fostering a sense of community spirit that extends far beyond the lacrosse field.
The program’s roots can be traced back to 2003, when Mike Cherenson, a lifelong lacrosse enthusiast who played the sport from a young age through college and into adulthood, felt called to start a lacrosse program in Pequannock.
BY GREG DABICE
Cherenson’s journey began with seeking guidance from nearby programs and forming a corporation. The Parks and Recreation Department was eager to give the program a green light, but leaders were not sure the program would work, admitting they knew little about lacrosse.
That’s where Cherenson’s public relations skills paid off. A press release in the local Trends newspaper generated a flurry of interest, with many former
lacrosse players from neighboring towns like Montville, Clifton and Mountain Lakes reaching out to get involved. Within weeks, the fledgling program had around 30 boys signed up.
The club’s first season, in spring 2004, featured three boys teams and a girls team run by Jen Hardie. The girls team partnered with the newly formed Wayne program due to low numbers. From those humble beginnings, the program continued to grow steadily.
Mike Cherenson and local sports leaders have organized boys and girls lacrosse teams as parts of a single club with close ties to the high school program.
A Unified Program
A few years later, Cherenson set his sights on establishing lacrosse as a varsity sport at the high school level. Fundraising efforts helped pave the way and, in 2008, the Pequannock High School lacrosse program had its inaugural varsity season, solidifying the sport’s place in the community.
Cherenson credits much of the program’s success to the contributions of Al Geisel and Jen Hardie, who brought invaluable experience to the boys and girls teams, respectively. But what truly sets the Pequannock Lacrosse Club apart, according to Cherenson, is the way it has unified the boys and girls programs under one umbrella while maintaining close ties to the high school program.
“We really try to keep the boys and girls together under one roof and work closely with the high school,” Cherenson says. “We try to establish one big giant lacrosse family. We are really supportive of one another, and we communicate, collaborate and have events together. I think that makes us especially unique.”
Beyond the organizational structure, Cherenson believes the program’s greatest achievement has been the profound impact it has had on families and the sense of belonging it has fostered in the community.
He fondly recalls moments like a young player excitedly showing off moves to his dad before a game, then scoring and savoring the victory together. “If we can capture a thousand of those moments, bringing families together, and the kids going on to play in college and coaching at higher levels, that’s really what I think the biggest success of the program has been,” Cherenson says.
Top left: Dominique Dygos advances the ball. Bottom left: Mason Longo looks for an opportunity to pass. Opposite page, top: Mason Cheff tends the goal. Opposite page, bottom: Zoe Wizner assesses the situation downfield.
More Than a Sport
Many former Pequannock players have indeed gone on to play lacrosse in college, and several now coach at the high school and collegiate levels, perpetuating a love for the sport instilled by the club.
Underpinning the local lacrosse program’s success is the strong sense of community that permeates Pequannock. Families have consistently rallied behind the program, exemplifying the town’s indomitable spirit and commitment to fostering a sense of belonging.
“It is that sense of being Pequannock that really is so special about our program and one of the many unique and wonderful things about this town,” Cherenson says.
What began as one man’s vision has blossomed into far more than just a lacrosse club—it also has become a testament to the power of community, a force that has united families, inspired future generations and indelibly woven the sport of lacrosse into the fabric of Pequannock.
Greg Dabice is a longtime active member of the Pequannock community. He is currently president of the Chamber of Commerce, vice chair of the Economic Development Committee and a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.
Patriotic Pup
As the handwritten sign invites, say hi to Luna, the smiling, patriotic parade participant! Photographer Antonietta Henry captured this vintage red truck and its charming passenger among the array of vehicles that paraded as part of the township’s Memorial Day ceremonies.
Have
